


The Four The Merrier

by Lailyn



Series: Now That's What I Call Magic! [8]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Humor, M/M, Mpreg, Pregnant Loki (Marvel), Romance, Sick Loki (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:09:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lailyn/pseuds/Lailyn
Summary: Stephen thinks Loki is dying. Loki doesn't give a hoot.
Relationships: Loki/Stephen Strange
Series: Now That's What I Call Magic! [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581754
Comments: 28
Kudos: 233





	The Four The Merrier

“Loki, please do not take this the wrong way, but this is starting to worry me.”

“What is?”

“You, sleeping all the time. Waking up more tired than you were when you went to bed.”

“Why?” Loki murmured into his pillow. “ ‘s not like I’m running amok and wreaking havoc all across Midgard.” He cracked a yawn. “Gosh, even the thought of it is exhausting.”

“You know just the thing to say to make me feel better and terrify me at the same time.”

“I try, darling, I try.” A placating pat on the hand later, Loki was already burrowing himself under his covers. “Now if you don’t mind, will you get lost already? Sorry, it’s just your aura – the world’s too bright with you in it.”

“Right…” Stephen drawled.

_____________________________________

“Thor, do you have any idea what could be wrong with Loki?”

“Surely I should be the one asking you that?” Thor asked irritably. Any higher, the pile of paperwork on his massive desk would bury him alive.

“You…should?” Stephen asked, confused.

Thor heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Perhaps it would be in everyone's best interest if you could refrain from engaging my brother in _activities_ that may deprive him of adequate rest.”

“ _Excuse_ me?”

“I would prefer to have Loki less exhausted in the morning. If you must know he has not been up to shape as of late, which is very unlike him, and just between you and I, Doctor, I am sure we both know the reason why.”

Thor swept a hand in the air, bringing Stephen’s attention once more to the documents strewn across his desk. “My brain is not made for _this_.”

Stephen’s jaw dropped. “Thor – ” He could not believe he was going to say it but, “Loki and I haven’t been with each other for weeks now. Every time I drop by to say hello, he’s sleeping.”

Thor was quiet for a few long seconds. “So you’ve noticed that too?” he finally asked.

“Yes!” Stephen said vehemently. “And I don’t think he’s eating either. I brought him his favourite honey cake the other day, and when I came by the next morning, it was still there on the dresser, untouched!” His nostrils flared. “Something’s going on.”

“Hmm…” Thor drummed his fingers on the table. “Sounds like he’s gone into hibernation.”

“What?” Stephen stared in stunned silence. “Is that something you…do?”

“Nope,” Thor said cheerily. “Just something I learnt from watching Nat Geo Wild. It’s one of my favourite shows.”

“Right…” Stephen drawled.

As much as Loki tried to deny it, the Odinsons were so much more alike than they cared to admit.

__________________________________

A week went by and there was hardly any change. Loki was still spending much of his waking moments alternating between trying to convince his equally overbearing boyfriend and brother both to let him go back to sleep, and resisting their attempt to get him to see a Healer or a doctor.

“You are a doctor,” Loki had argued. “Or are all those fancy letters after your name just for show?”

“This can’t be normal, Loki.” Stephen had long since forgone hiding his anxiety. “Have you seen yourself in the mirror lately? You’re cachexic.”

“Fancy words, fancy letters...no wonder the Valkyrie calls you the Fancy Man.” Loki cracked open a bleary eye. “Back in my day, when people call you fancy, that means you’re a pimp.”

Loki meant to laugh at his own joke, but cracked a big yawn instead.

The sight of it only made Stephen feel more like crying.

“Loki…”

“Stephen…” Loki smiled gently. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” Stephen’s eyes were red. “You’re wasting away, and you wouldn’t let me help you.”

“I’m curious, Doctor.” Loki nuzzled his cheek into the palm of Stephen’s hand. “What is going through your mind right now?”

Stephen refused to say it out loud. He did not want it to be true.

“Tell me,” Loki murmured.

“I’m thinking about the Elves, who had to leave Middle Earth for the Undying Land of the Gods,” Stephen said quietly. It made absolutely no sense why he was thinking that…but he was.

Loki opened his eyes. They retained their brilliance despite the pull of sleep and the exhaustion Stephen could sense seeping through every pore of Loki’s body.

“Is that what you think?” Loki wondered aloud. “That I’m dying?"

“If you were human, I’d screen you for every cancer known to man,” Stephen admitted helplessly.

“Stephen…” Loki laughed softly. “Oh, my darling Stephen.”

“Please don’t make fun of me, Loki,” Stephen said numbly.

In a surprising move, Loki tugged on Stephen’s hand, hard. 

Stunned, Stephen found himself climbing into bed eagerly, as this had been the first time in weeks that Loki was allowing Stephen to hold him.

With a sigh, Loki pulled Stephen’s arm around his waist. “I’m not dying, Stephen.”

Stephen buried his face into the back of Loki’s head. “You’re gonna have to do a lot more to convince me, Odinson.”

Loki slowly brought Stephen’s hand lower until their palms rested on his stomach.

Stephen’s heart sank. He was more convinced now that something was seriously wrong. Loki’s abdomen felt hard and swollen, so that could only mean…

Pelvic tumour? Colon cancer?

Oh wait.

Whatever was in Loki’s belly, it was _moving_.

Stephen’s heart rate skyrocketed.

A parasite? An alien parasite?

Loki heaved a sigh. “Honestly, Stephen. I can hear your brain overheating.”

Stephen frowned deeply. His clinical acumen could not be so rusty, could it? To misdiagnose something so simple, as implausible as it may be –

No. It can’t be.

“Think simpler,” Loki growled. “Peasant thinking.”

Stephen felt Loki’s belly again, more thoroughly yet more gently this time.

There was no mistaking it.

“You’re pregnant,” Stephen said breathlessly in realisation. When Loki only nodded, he started to hyperventilate. “How long have you known?”

“Since your honey cake started smelling like fermented socks and embalming fluid.”

“Loki, that’s – ” Stephen could not seem to find the words quickly enough. “This is – ”

“Yes?” Loki tensed.

Stephen held him tight, so tightly Loki grunted in surprise. “This is _fantastic!!!_ ”

“About the honey cake?” Loki wrinkled his nose. “But I loved honey cake!”

Stephen ignored Loki’s blatant attempt at deflection and went straight for the jugular. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he berated, torn between squeezing Loki in elation or fury. “Do you know how worried I’ve been?”

Loki was quiet. “Guess I wasn’t sure how you would react.”

Stephen heaved a great sigh, “You’re such an idiot.”

_“Hey!”_

“But I love you.” Stephen hurriedly pecked the back of Loki’s head.

“You’re not…upset?” Loki tried again, “You’re happy?”

Stephen kissed Loki’s head again long and hard, feeling the last bit of tension built up over the most of last month drain away like water. “ _Very_ happy,” he murmured.

That finally got Loki to turn his head around. “Truly?” he asked breathlessly.

Stephen kissed him on the lips, full and proper. “Truly, truly.”

Loki threw his arms around Stephen and hid his face in the bend of Stephen’s neck. “I love you, Stephen.”

“I love you too,” Stephen laughed giddily, but the worrywart in him could not stay dormant for long. “But please tell me this will pass soon? You have to start eating again, Loki, you’re eating for two now – ”

“Correction,” Loki whispered in his ear. “ _Three_.”

Stephen felt like fainting.

“Twins?” he mouthed.

Loki’s eyes disappeared behind his teary smile. “Surprise?”

**Author's Note:**

> The world is a scary place right now and I needed something short, fluffy and sweet. Not too much brainpower went into this one, so it's all in good fun. Take good care of yourselves, dear readers.


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